The United Nations Peacekeeping Organization

Paper Summary:

This paper defines peacekeeping, both in a historical context and for the present. The paper reviews the literature for past and present issues about military intervention including a comparison of academic theories of statesmanship and the application of peacekeeping in different regions. The paper also compares the historical perspectives on the placement of peacekeepers and different conflict states in which peacekeeping can be administered. In addition, the paper looks at the critical issues surrounding the United Nations peacekeeping operations, their different forms of peacekeeping operations, their history of deployments and their restrictions. The paper concludes with recommendations for structural improvements in peacekeeping processes and the future of the United Nations operation.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Literature Review
Lessons Learned From Past/Present Mission Failures
Reasons behind Successful Operations
Ideas for Future Structural Improvements
Summary

From the Paper:

"A great deal of the literature on peacekeeping revolves around perceived strengths, weaknesses and history of peacekeeping. Falk notes that liberalism, considered to be a basis of peacekeeping, is noted by some to be evidence of "generosity of spirit from a position of strength". As a belief system, therefore, liberalism will attempt to convert others, for their own good, to liberal ways of thinking. When one considers the application of peacekeeping, in a broader sense, the application of law, one must also consider if the application of law in a conflict is based upon a typically American style of jurisprudence? Does global peacekeeping also consider European or Asian elements of law as well? If not, can one say that the application of international law on a political level is appropriate - Tammahana states this application is too broad in perspective and inadequate to the needs of the municipality. The concept of citizenship historically exerts a tension between internal and external exclusion. While peacekeepers theoretically must extend equal rights and duties to all members of the state, there generally exists a division between the parties to the conflict and the peacekeepers themselves."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bellamy, A.J., Williams, P. and Griffin, S. Understanding Peacekeeping. Published by Polity, Cambridge, 2004.
• Special Security Council Report, 8 Sep 2006. Accessed via the Internet at http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/peacekpg/general/2006/0908newchallgs.pdf
• Urquhart, Brian. A Life in Peace and War. New York: W. W. Norton, 1971.
• Harleman, C. An introduction to the U.N. system, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Programme of Correspondence in Peacekeeping Operations (POCI), 2003, New York
• FALK, Richard. Law in an Emerging Global Village: A Post-Westphalian Perspective (Ardsley, NY: Transnational)

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